lot 1 S1 W1 / lɒt $ lɑt / 代词 , 副词 #

1 a lot ( also lots informal ) a large amount or number :

We’ve spent a lot on the children’s education.

‘How many CDs have you got?’ ‘Lots.’

a lot of

They paid a lot of money for that house.

I eat a lot of vegetables.

There were lots of people at the party.

an awful lot ( also a whole lot informal ) (= a very large amount or number )

He spends an awful lot of time on the computer.

a lot to do/learn/say etc

I still have a lot to learn.

It’s a great city, with lots to see and do.

Grammar

Use a singular 动词 if you are using a lot of or lots of before an uncountable 名词 , and a 复数形式 动词 if you are using it before a 复数形式 名词 :

A lot of money was spent on it.

A lot of people were killed.

► Do not say ’lot of’ or ‘a lots of’.

► Do not use a lot of with ‘years’ or ‘days’. Say many years/days or a long time .

Register

A lot is fairly informal and lots is informal. In written English, use many followed by a 复数形式 名词 , or a large amount followed by an uncountable 名词 : This was unpopular for a lot of reasons. ➔ This was unpopular for many reasons. | They spent a lot of money. ➔ They spent a large amount of money.

2 a lot ( also lots informal ) if someone or something is a lot better, faster, easier etc, they are much better, faster etc 同义词 much :

My headache’s lots better, thanks.

She has a lot more contact with clients these days.

You’ll get there a lot quicker if you take the motorway.

The house is a lot tidier now Chris has left home.

3 a lot used to say that something happens to a great degree or often :

Things have changed a lot since I was a child.

Paul travels a lot on business.

I’ve been worrying a lot about my health.

She likes you a lot.

4 have a lot on your plate informal to have a large number of problems to deal with or a large amount of work to do

5 have a lot on your mind to have a lot of problems that you are worried about :

‘You’re quiet today.’ ‘I’ve got a lot on my mind.’

6 have a lot on British English to be very busy, with a large number of things to do in a short time :

I can’t help you now – I’ve got rather a lot on.

→ thanks a lot at thanks 1 ( 1 ) , → a fat lot of good/use at fat 1 ( 5 ) , → have a lot to answer for at answer for ( 2 )

lot 2 S2 noun #

1 group of people/things [可数名词] a group of people or things considered together :
Could you help me carry this lot upstairs? lot of The last lot of people offered £70,000. I did three lots of exams last summer. Come on, you lot, hurry up! His friends are a strange lot. 2 the lot especially British English the whole of an amount or number of things, people etc :
We’ll do everything – cooking, washing, ironing – the lot. I can’t believe you ate the whole lot . I think that’s the lot (= everything is included ) . the lot of you/them/us (= all of you, them, or us ) Shut up, the lot of you! 3 sb’s situation [单数形式] your lot is your work, duties, social position etc, especially when they could be better :
She seems happy enough with her lot. The unions have always tried to improve the lot of their members. 4 land [可数名词] especially American English an area of land used for building on or for another purpose :
the vacant lot (= empty land ) behind the Commercial Hotel a used-car lot → parking lot 5 film [可数名词] a building and the land surrounding it where films are made SYN studio :
the Universal Studios lot 6 thing to be sold [可数名词] something, or a group of things, that is sold at an auction :
Lot 54 is a Victorian lamp. 7 choosing a) by lot if someone is chosen by lot, several people each take a piece of paper or an object from a container, and the person who is chosen is the one who gets a particular marked paper or object :
In Athens at that time, judges were chosen by lot . b) draw/cast lots to choose something or someone by lot :
We drew lots to decide who should go first. 8 throw in/cast your lot with somebody/something to join or support someone or something, and accept that what happens to them will affect what happens to you :
In 1915 Italy threw in her lot with the Allies. → bad lot at bad 1 ( 21 ) , → a job lot at job ( 17 )